The Persecution of Witches

Tell me what ‘legitimate’ means—how much proof do I needto convince youthat blood is bloodand bruises are bruises?Why is my voice a casualtyof violence you won’t examine?

Did I say no?Was I drunk?What was I wearing?A better question:why is my bodynot my body?

Here is the old dilemma:if you weigh me with stonesand I drown, I am not a witch—but if I float, I am. Tell me:how cold are the riversin Danvers, Ipswich, and Salem?Somewhere, Bridget Bishopis still wearing red, still makingpeople uncomfortable—the wolves are always waitingfor the bones of the accused.

Here is the new dilemma:Yes, I was drunk,and no, I wasn’t asking for it—now I am carryinga mattress as my crossfor someone else’s sin,and I have to ask permissionfrom a man to terminatewhat’s mine—because hegets to require consentwhen I am not affordedthe same privilege.

‘Legitimate’ is a witch’s markfor the new age, a snareof blame definedby the man who holds it,and this is the burdenof being the victim:alive until persuaded dead.There are infinite waysto drown, many without water.

Ali Trotta is a poet, editor, dreamer, word–nerd, and unapologetic coffee addict. She is always scribbling on napkins, looking for magic in the world, and singing along to songs at the grocery store. When she isn’t word–wrangling, you can find her cooking, baking, taking photos, or pretending to be a mermaid. She’s writes television shows reviews for Blastoff Comics. These have included Agent Carter, The Flash, and Supergirl. Additionally, for Blastoff, she has written a couple personal essays. She’s on Twitter as @alwayscoffee, and you can also read her blog at alwayscoffee.wordpress.com. One of her past Uncanny poems was a Rhysling Award nominee.